Emanuel

For sure.
The “18 stops” claim comes from the manufacturer (sensor-level, special HDR mode). It’s plausible as a sensor specification under controlled conditions/multi-exposure HDR — but practical DR measured in real cameras has been substantially lower due to optical and pipeline factors.
Although the sensor itself has a “theoretical” 18 stops, many other factors (noise, analog-to-digital conversion, image pipeline, compression, amplifier architecture, pixel readout, linearity, saturation capability) limit the actual practical performance.
 
Manufacturer's claim = sensor under optimized conditions (two/more readings, dual-gain, on-sensor HDR, internal measurements). This isn't necessarily the DR you'll get in a final phone/camera.
Actual limits: optics (flare/veiling glare), amplifiers, pipeline noise, compression, RAW/JPEG processing — all of which reduce useful DR.
 
https://www.imatest.com/docs/full.html
Imatest/DxOMark measure the system, not just the sensor die (photodiodes (light-capturing pixels), transistors, amplifiers, readout lines, A/D converters, etc.). 
Lab values applied to cameras tend to show much lower useful DR on sensors of this size — hence the large difference between manufacturer claims and practical DR.
 
However, if this OmniVision sensor actually comes to fruition with 18 practical stops, that will be revolutionary for such small sensors — it would be worth watching for announcements and technical tests.

The best camera is the one you hold ; )
...and that's the "toy" when in good hands! :- )
 

@kye, your framing, beyond that of a traveller, unveils the eye of an artist :- )

Here's some more grabs.







 

I started this thread by talking about the GH7, but I think the iPhone 17 Pro has also come of age (for me at least).
My goals for using this is to keep it in my pocket, be able to shoot super quickly using the default camera app, and focus on the compositions and capturing the events in front of the camera while it does all the auto-everything required for a good quality capture.
First impressions and thoughts from a few weeks of using it.
4K Prores HQ files in Apple Log 2 look great and are a joy to work with in Resolve (see examples below) All the lenses seem to work well and even up to the 8x 200mm are completely usable hand-held, and if leaning your hand against something the 8x is almost locked-off It records 6 channels of audio, and they appear to all be independent and available in the NLE (see image below) which might(?) be useful in difficult situations where there's wind noise in one or one channel clips etc? While recording Prores Log the default camera app shows you the log image and doesn't have an option to apply a LUT, so although it's a great way to be sure you're recording LOG, it's hardly ideal.  Hopefully they fix this in an update. Audio channels in Resolve:

Some frame grabs from out the hotel window in HK.  Bear in mind these were shot with the default camera app, through multiple layers of tinted glass, and have had a film emulation grade put on top of them.
1x 24mm camera:

8x 200mm camera:

with a bit of sharpening:

with too much sharpening (unless you're a "cinematic Youtuber"):

1x 24mm camera (ignore the reflections in the window):

8x camera:

8x camera with sharpening:

and in terms of DR / latitude, here's the 1x image brought up ~2.5 stops:

I haven't tested it in low-light yet, but to me, all this essentially means that the camera is sufficiently technically capable that I can shoot with it without feeling like the technical factors are overly restrictive.  This is incredibly impressive, given that even cameras like the GH5 needed you to pay attention to their limits in some situations.
For the first time I feel like if something happened to my 'real' camera and all I had to capture a trip is my phone I wouldn't feel like I'd stuffed up.  This is the first trip I haven't packed a backup camera body, which has given me the ability to pack a couple of extra lens options, thus 'upgrading' the GH7 rig as well.

Another frame grab showing a bit more DR.  Same Resolve + FLC workflow, but no grain added, so what you see below is the noise and compression artefacts from the Prores.
Default exposure:

-2 stops to see where the clipping point is:

+2 stops to look at the shadow detail:

Very serviceable, especially considering this was shot from the window of a moving train (the OTHER reason why rolling shutter matters).

Matching Iphone colour to Arri... quite close!
 
 

https://ymcinema.com/2025/04/15/omnivision-unleashes-a-game-changing-1‑inch-8k-18-stops-of-dr-sensor-for-smartphones/
https://ymcinema.com/2025/09/30/omnivision-ov50r-8k-sensor-action-cameras/
https://www.ovt.com/press-releases/omnivision-launches-ultra-high-dynamic-range-1-inch-image-sensor-for-movie-grade-video-capture-in-flagship-smartphones/
 
Breaking news: currently in mass production...
 
Imagine that reaching the mirroless/compact cameras segment, no less...
Why not? ; )
 
In a single line:
economies of scale.
 
The funny part of the equation is the smartphones market pushing the boundaries of this industry in every front, from iPhone sales to Android.
 
;- )

Same technology used in Xiaomi 17 Pro. It has more DR than G9m2, but the lens quality and the algorithm used to combine low gain and high gain are horrible and so the extra highlight stops are wasted. 

I still have problem with Gerald Undone, and this is exemplified with Canon C50 vs Nikon ZR review. I don't question his numbers, but how he interpreted them for his bias. Man pissed on the ZR t every corner, but excused the worst or the worst for Canon. The simple example is the ZR micro hdmi vs Canon C50 lack of IBIS. Yes it is an inconvenience the ZR doesn't have a full size hdmi, but it can be remedied with a 100 USD cage plus lock. But what about the lack of IBIS, you would need a full set of big supporting gear. Either a tripod, shoulder mount or gimbal. But hey, his excuse is that he talked with some first AC, and they told him that they prefer the sensor to be locked, as if the C50 principal use will be on movie sets!!!!!
He is revolting, how dare Nikon put cinema on the ZR, but does he think that the ZR/C50/Fx3 will be primarily use on cinema sets!!! Is he crazy, 99.9% of their use will be in events, corporate videos, weddings, reportage, social media content creation etc. At the top you will find them used on small to average advertising production, short films, small to no budget films. And in rare case as specialist camera like crash cam, in higher end production. But again in those 99.9% cases, stabilization is a big big plus for those production. But hey, Nikon dared to put Cinema on the ZR. I mean a camera that has better image than 90% of digital camera just 5 years ago. 

One of these days this community should just team up and send every new game-changer straight to @kye ; ) You’re priceless, mate :- )

Well, that was fun.  New phone has new colour space which requires updating Resolve which wouldn't install and required me to update MacOS.  Recording and then viewing the first clip took a lot longer than anticipated.
Here's some initial observations as I find my bearings.
Resolve 20.2 only has Apple Log 2 in the Colour Space, and only has Apple Log in the Gamma.


If we assume that BM and Apply both know what they're doing then that means that Apple Log 2 gets a new colour space but keeps the same gamma curve, and iPhone 15 and 16 users get an upgrade to Apple Log 2.
In the default camera app you only get Log and HDR (whatever that is) in Prores mode.  Not entirely sure what Prores flavour it is, but I'd guess HQ because the fine print in the settings to enable it says 1 minute of 4K 30p is 6GB which is 800Mbps (and would be 640Mbps for 24p) which is sightly lower than the 700 typically stated, but is definitely higher than the 471Mbps typically stated for 4K 24p Prores 422.

If you select Prores and Log, the image displayed is the log image..  no display conversion for you!
BM camera app gives tonnes more options.  I'll have to investigate that further, but last time I looked it seemed to only offer manual shooting, rather than the auto-everything that I need when shooting fast.

Lets acknowledge that ProResRAW is a shitty codec.

Beautiful : ) Hard to believe that’s from a phone! How tricky is it to stabilize that kind of footage without in-camera help? What tool are you using exactly?

And here are the raw clips if anyone would like to play around with them https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17juUhffdIAEu5NJIAvD01zwfPock_mjO?usp=sharing

The phone arrived today as expected and I've had a few minutes to play around with the camera. I shot a short test scene using ProRes RAW and ProRes 422 in the Blackmagic app. Here's a quick look at the footage with just Resolve's Apple Log 2 CST applied. Very first observations:
 
Open gate is only available in RAW or RAW HQ RAW can only recorded to an external drive. I have a great Magsafe SSD that I use for this. Sensor stabilization is not available in either raw mode Resolve is super sluggish with the raw files unlike ProRes RAW or BRAW files from my S1ii. I hope this gets optimized The normal raw controls are there and the footage is very flexible as you'd expect I used Resolve's built in Apple Log 2 CST for the test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97PPh276M4o

Me too here, very likely. For the first time. Windows and Android user, so far.
There's external SSD recording, and they're pretty on the nano side these days, so the 256GB version is enough.

+7 focal length options:
13mm
24mm
28mm
35mm
48mm
100mm
200mm
(+ macro)
 
+many other goodies...
 
Among them, genlock... via the new Blackmagic Camera ProDock (Hello 3D! Not only though... for sure) for US$295 (next time, it will come as giveaway, very likely, what else? ; )
Simply WOW
etc.
 
https://www.apple.com/iphone-17-pro/
https://www.apple.com/iphone-17-pro/specs/
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/09/apple-unveils-iphone-17-pro-and-iphone-17-pro-max/
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/09/apple-announces-final-cut-camera-2-0/
 
Nobody is talking about TBH if this isn't a game changer, I have no idea what this means anymore... : ) Where's that Coppola's little fat girl in Ohio?
 

BM camera app will allow you to shoot Apple log in h.265 with very good quality. Saves soooo much space and looks great.

I am; should be delivered tomorrow. Main reason is it's my normal upgrade cycle time. But, even if it was a year early for me I'd still be compelled to buy it. I've been using my phone for critical pick up shots for a while now and the addition of ProRes RAW makes it even more useful for me this way. The 200mm equivalent telephoto also will be great for casual concert and event photography so I'm pretty happy all around. 

+7 focal length options:
13mm
24mm
28mm
35mm
48mm
100mm
200mm
(+ macro)
 
+many other goodies...
 
Among them, genlock... via the new Blackmagic Camera ProDock (Hello 3D! Not only though... for sure) for US$295 (next time, it will come as giveaway, very likely, what else? ; )
Simply WOW
etc.
 
https://www.apple.com/iphone-17-pro/
https://www.apple.com/iphone-17-pro/specs/
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/09/apple-unveils-iphone-17-pro-and-iphone-17-pro-max/
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/09/apple-announces-final-cut-camera-2-0/
 
Nobody is talking about TBH if this isn't a game changer, I have no idea what this means anymore... : ) Where's that Coppola's little fat girl in Ohio?
 

ProRes RAW...
https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/media/release/20250910-02

Newsshooter is there and brings these exciting news:
https://www.newsshooter.com/2025/09/13/viltrox-nexus-pl-to-e-pro-adapter-that-enables-full-af-capabilities-when-using-pl-mount-cine-lenses/
Comes by 4Q 2025 in the end of the year...

ProRes RAW...
https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/media/release/20250910-02